Today I was in a room full of children, trying to somehow help them make sense of what happened at Virginia Tech yesterday. It was not an easy task. They're 6th graders, old enough to know, but not old enough to truly 'get it'. There were many questions. To them, the world is very black and white, there is a clear right side and a clear wrong side. We had a good discussion, but I am not sure they still fully grasp the magnitude of what has happened, nor should they. They are too young, things like this should not be happening in their world.But this is the world we created, and now we have to live in it.
I am not quite sure why this news story has effected me so deeply. Just listening to news reports and watching CNN made me tear up. I did not know anyone at Va Tech, I have no ties whatsoever to the community. And yet, there are tears.
Maybe because this could have happened anywhere?
Maybe because any one of my friends could have been in a building on UNL's campus, not unlike Virginia Tech, and lost their life the same way?
I could go on and on about this topic, but I won't. In times like these people are so quick to point fingers at those who did not do enough, those who did not see the 'signs', and so on.
Stop.
No one ever truly sees the signs. Believe me, I know all about not seeing 'signs'. Sometimes there are none. And hindsight is always 20/20.
Now is not the time to use this horrific act to further your own agendas, to rally about gun control, violent video games, and so on.
Now is the time to mourn, to grieve, and to heal.
It doesn't seem possible, it hasn't been nearly enough time. But healing will come. Eventually. It will take a lot longer, however, if people continue to lay blame and point fingers.
2 comments:
I think now is the time for discussion. This country has endured too many school shootings, too many massacres. Yes, let's mourn. But let's start discussing now, while it's fresh and still real. Because we have a fickle media and in a few weeks, we'll be talking about Anna Nicole's baby again and forget that our world has very real problems and the serious consequence is that people die horrifically, and without reason.
~ tobestalks.blogspot.com
Discussion will come. First though, allow people to fully grasp what has happened. I highly doubt those who are a part of the Va Tech community can discuss anything, let alone form a coherent thought right now.
Post a Comment